Curried Lentil Hummus with Roasted Garlic

The first time I had hummus was about 7 years ago at a Middle Eastern restaurant. They served it in a little boat of endive, topped with diced sun dried tomatoes. Hummus is Middle Eastern and the word itself means "chickpeas." It is traditionally mashed into oblivion with it's counterpart, tahini. However, I did not have any the day I decided to make this. I had garlic that was on the cusp of its prime, a can of garbanzo beans, dried lentils, and peanut butter.

Tahini is basically a sesame seed paste. It is high in oil content and very nutty flavored. Peanut butter is basically peanut paste. It is high in oil content and is very nutty flavored. And my guess is that most people will have peanut butter in their cupboards before they would have tahini. If you have peanut allergies then I recommend going and getting tahini, another nut butter you are not allergic to, or using a very minimal amount of sesame seed oil. Here's how to do it...

Gather form your cupboard:
1/2 c dried lentils*, I used brown
1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans
2 whole heads garlic
1 T peanut butter**
1 t curry powder
1/2 t salt
extra virgin olive oil
dash pepper

First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the top most part of each head of garlic. Place in the middle of a sheet of foil and drizzle with a healthy dose of olive oil.
Wrap up into a nice little package and throw into the oven. It will take about 45 minutes for them to get nice and gooey.

Cook the lentils according to the package.

* I know the measuring cup says 1 cup but it made too much, make only 1/2 cup

When the tip of a knife is able to go right through the top of the garlic clove then they are ready and remove from the oven. The oil will be super hot so don't try to handle right away. The lentils should be done now anyways so pull from the stove and let them cool a bit. 

When the garlic is cooled enough to handle, squeeze the end of each clove and the mushy garlic should come out. Sometimes I use a chop stick to assist me.

Put that in a food processor with the garbanzo beans, lentils, peanut butter, curry powder, salt and pepper.

Pulse while drizzling in the olive oil until you get to your desired texture. I like mine thick and substantial so not a lot of olive oil was necessary. If you like it thinner than keep adding until you get what you want. Easy.

Along with using it as a dip, I use it as a spread, in salad dressing, in baked potatoes, as a base for pizza, and tossed with warm pasta. I once hollowed out cherry tomatoes and piped hummus in, those were cute.
What will you have it with?

**Substitute with sesame seed oil to taste, another nut butter, or tahini. 

Roasted Potato Salad with Pomegranate Seeds

This is the season for pomegranate and they are such a beautiful and versatile ingredient that it's no surprise we see them in cocktails, salads, cheesecakes, and glazed over a thick pork chop. I wanted to showcase this little gem by contrasting it with the creamy texture and earthy taste of roasted potatoes. Then top it all off with a zesty and subtly sweet dressing. This would be a great festive dish for a holiday gathering or an office potluck. Or maybe just a fun salad you throw together for a weekend picnic. Wherever you plan on taking it, have fun and eat well.
Serves 6.

Let's start with what will take the longest and that is cooking and roasting the potatoes. Put a large pot of salted water on the stove on medium heat.

Cut 6-7 potatoes in 1/2 inch cubes, skins on, and throw in the pot. I used good ol' Russets, but a more waxy potato like a Yukon gold or red potato would be wonderful as well. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10-12 minutes over medium heat, just until a knife can be inserted. Remove from heat, drain, and transfer to a baking sheet. Toss in canola oil or vegetable oil and salt and pepper. Roast in a 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until a nice crisp forms on the outside. 

*Par-boiling the potatoes will help them crisp up in the oven and will be nice and soft on the inside. If you prefer an all around soft potato then you can skip the roasting step*

While the potatoes are roasting I like to get the messiest part out of the way, so de-seeding the pomegranate would be next.

These juicy gems stain, so make sure you are wearing clothes you don't mind getting stained. If you have a plastic cutting board, use it. If not, I wrapped my bamboo one with parchment paper and it worked fine, and easy clean up afterwards, too. Make sure you aren't cutting near your walls, the juice will splash and may stain. And watch out for that grout!

Start by cutting the pomegranate in half from top to bottom...

...then quarter it...

...then break off sections one by one and help the seeds pop out by peeling back the white membrane.

The seeds should come out pretty easily. I drop them directly into a bowl of water. That way any leftover membrane will float to the top and you can fish it out when done. Once you have popped out all the seeds, pick out any of the white that has come to the top of the water and throw away. Drain the seeds and set aside.

Check the potatoes, they should be done. Take them out and have a taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Cool to room temperature.

In the meantime, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl or dressing shaker combine:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 pinches chili powder
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• dash of you favorite hot sauce

Whisk until well combined and let sit for a few minutes.
While the potatoes are still warm, toss in the dressing until well coated. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and serve at room temperature or chilled from the fridge.

Turkey Meatloaf with Tangy Pineapple Glaze

I am visiting my dad this week and of course I wanted to check out what he has in his cupboards and come up with something for dinner. After exploring his freezer, fridge and cabinets I found turkey burgers, hamburger buns that needed to be used and an array of condiments that could last a family of four at least 3 years. I decided to make turkey meatloaf with a tangy pineapple glaze. It is savory, sweet, zesty, and best of all... comforting.

What I have learned from making meatloaf is that it doesn't matter what you put in, it matters the ratio of meat to egg to bread crumbs. Not enough egg and it will be dry and crumbly, too many bread crumbs will also leave it dry, too much meat and you might as well just make hamburgers. Go by feel, trust your gut, and take no prisoners. It is just meatloaf.

Start by toasting two buns in the oven on low, around 250 degrees Fahrenheit, until they are dry, dry, dry.
In the meantime, gather your fillings. I used ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, garlic salt, dried parsley, bbq sauce, and a packet of dry onion soup mix (or some other random packet of spices will work). Mix all of these fillings in a SEPARATE BOWL from the turkey and bread. This way, you can taste your mixture before you add it to the raw turkey and egg. Once was all said and done, I had 1/2 cup of filling. Get creative with this, use what you have. Like ranch? Put it in. Horseradish? Go for it. Worcestershire? Be my guest. Taste it and make it how you want because this is what your meatloaf will taste like. Once you nailed it, put it aside.

In another bowl, combine the turkey patties, 1 egg, and crumble in your nicely toasted buns. Mix just to combine then add your filling. Mix once more making sure everything is evenly distributed. This is when you should go by feel to tell if your mixture is proportional. It shouldn't be so wet that it coats your hand, but not too dry that all you feel are dry bread crumbs. It should be able to hold its shape and be able to form easily.

...like this...

...or this...

Place the mixture in a well greased loaf pan and form to make what you think meatloaf should look like. Something like the picture below...

 If I am serving this at a dinner party, I like to use individual loaf pans so everyone can have their own.

Set aside to let rest.

For the glaze, combine 2 tablespoons Apricot- Pineapple preserves, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon ketchup and a dash of your favorite hot sauce. Whisk together and you have your glaze! 

Generously spoon the glaze over the top and down the sides of the meatloaf and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours. Let sit at least 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Spicy Sausage and Apple Calzones

My sister and her husband are out of the country for a month and I am house/dog-sitting. While I myself do not have the means to travel out of the country, or anywhere outside Ventura county for that matter, I can at least pretend that I'm somewhere else... oh, let's say somewhere along the Italian countryside. I can sit out on the partially sunned porch, look at the view of the horses and mountains, sip an ice cold Peroni, and smell the sweet and spicy calzones cooking away inside. 

This recipe makes 2 calzones for a main course, or you can make 4 small calzones for a side or appetizer. They are warm, crispy, sweet, cheesy, spicy... what more can you ask for? Molto Bene!

Start by rough chopping 2 sausages, whatever flavor you might have. I used a spicy chicken sausage to counterbalance the sweet and tart apple. Heat up a medium sized skillet and cook the sausages for 2 minutes. No need for any oil, there is already some fat in the sausages.

Next, small dice 2 granny smith apples and add to the sausage on the stove. 

Cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until the apples are soft, but still have some bite to them. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. 

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cut fresh Mozzarella into large chunks, you should have about a cup total. If you don't have fresh, shredded is fine. I just love biting into a gooey chunk of fresh Mozzarella! 

You can also use Brie, Camembert, Gruyere, any sort of soft, melty cheese would be just fabulous.

Fresh Mozzarella comes packed in water. If I have it in the fridge longer than a week, I change out the water to keep it fresher, longer. 

I love using frozen pie crust! It can be such a lifesaver. I use it in this recipe mainly because I had it, and I think it supports this hearty filling wonderfully. If you prefer to make your own crust, feel free! 

After one store-bought pie crust has thawed out, divide it into 2 equal pieces, roll them into a ball, and roll out into a circle, about 8" in diameter. 

To the cooled off filling mixture, add one egg and 1/4 cup bread crumbs and gently combine. Now fold in the cheese and the filling is ready. 

Take one of the rounds of dough and put the filling on one side of the circle, leaving a 1" perimeter. 

In a small bowl, beat one egg. With a pastry brush or your clean fingers, coat the perimeter of the dough so the two sides will stick together when baked.

Fold over the other side of the dough and press down gently with your fingertips. Then, with a fork, gently press down all along the edges of the rounded side of the calzone. 

Egg wash the top of the calzone. With a toothpick, poke 3 small holes in the top of each calzone to let any steam out. 

If you have a pizza stone, go ahead and lightly flour the bottom and place the calzones directly on the stone. If you don't have a pizza stone, spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and place the calzones on the sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, until the top is crispy and a nice golden brown. 

                                                      

Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving.

What did I tell ya about that crust, huh? 

Manja!